Letters to Literature Entry

Dear Jay Kopelman,

            My dad and brother both love watching documentaries, movies, and reading novels that focus on war. They both love history and delving into the past, specifically conflicts that resulted in wars. Occasionally when they’re watching a war movie, I’ll watch too. They rarely depict mental struggles of soldiers trying to cope with what they do while fighting to stay alive. But everyone knows that you can’t go to war and come back unscathed in some way. It has to be hard to remember a simpler life back home. When I think of ways for a soldier to feel at home, I always think of letters and treats sent for them overseas. Simple things are sent to them to try and make them feel close to home when it’s so easy to become detached in the environment they’re in.

 From Baghdad, With Love really grabbed my attention because it was a firsthand account of how war affects a person, and how something as seemingly simple as a puppy can have a profound effect on a person.It didn’t take me long at all to get attached to Lava, much like you did. The book wasn’t as much about the war as it was the mental struggles you faced and how Lava changed your life. As I read, I could really feel how Lava pulled you back from the edge and reminded you that you were human. I love this book because it’s a true story of determination and love. You saved his life after he had essentially saved yours. In the chaos that surrounded you, Lava kept you grounded. I think that’s amazing.

I’m a dog lover; I always have been. I’m a firm believer in the healing powers that animals posses. All they want is to give their love and be loved in return. They don’t care who you are or what you’ve done in the past as long as you’re good to them. The obstacles you faced while trying to get Lava back to America united people across the world because everyone can relate to the love you can have for a pet.

I have three dogs of my own, and I’ve always thought that they’re more human than anyone gives them credit for. Your book is proof of that. Lava went through many of the same struggles you did, and he too was changed by the war. He showed signs of PTSD like many humans do.  

            I don’t know how people can go through life without one beloved pet, nor do I understand how people can write animals off as stupid creatures. They understand more than anyone thinks they do.

            From Baghdad, With Love is a story I won’t soon forget. It really struck the animal lover in me.

Vlogging!

The Sky is Everywhere Animoto!

The Sky is Everywhere

The 21st Century Classroom

Today, English classes don't only rely on the text they read, but on sources online and social networking sites to find ways to enhance their learning and curriculum. Teachers use sites their students are familiar with and enjoy as a way to try to keep students interested and give them a new way to look at the assignments they would normally dread.

At the beginning of this assignment, I honestly felt like the incorporation of social networking and technology was a last ditch effort for teachers to make their assignments feel relevant. It's a little odd for me to blog as a serious assignment, since I've blogged for fun before. It's a bit of a challenge to remember that the blogs you're posting are being graded and they should be formal, since the structure is so informal. But it does give me a new outlook on an assignment that would've normally been an essay. It's definitely more fun and I think it takes some pressure off students. An essay can be a daunting task, but blogging is simpler.

Blogging, in some ways, is more personal than just talking about my book in front of the class. It gives me time to sit down, think aout what I want to say, and then turn it into a creative post. This blog is a direct link to all my thoughts on the book in short segments instead of a boring essay that wouldn't hold anyone's attention.

Links for The Sky is Everywhere!

http://www.griefshare.org/ - A website dedicated to helping those coping with the loss of a loved one through meetings. In the book, Lennie struggles with the sudden death of her sister. She feels like she's grieving alone, and doesn't often talk about her sister.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grief - A wikipedia page of information on grief and the different stages of grieving people go through. It has certain sections on how the loss of a parent, sibling, child, etc. can have different effects on people. It also mentions different reactions people can have to loss.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarinet - A wikipedia page with information on clarinets, the instrument Lennie plays. It has the history of the clarinet and its usage in different types of music. It also goes into detail on the contruction of the clarinet.

http://www.cignabehavioral.com/web/basicsite/bulletinBoard/brothersAndSistersUnderstandingSiblingLoss.jsp - A webpage with specific information on mourning the loss of a sibling. It goes into detail on how people cope differently with sibling losses. It also talks about what effect it can have on siblings at different ages.

http://www.gardenersnet.com/lilac.htm - A page of information on lilacs and how to grow them. Lennie finds out that her estranged mother loves lilacs, and she takes interest in them. Her grandmother is also a proficient gardener.

http://www.writersdigest.com/ - A website for writers and aspiring writers. Lennie often writes poems. Instead of publishing them anywhere, she scatters them to the wind.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_investigator - A wiki of information on private investigators and how they operate. Lennie learns that her family once hired a private investigator to find her mother. She also discovers that before her sister died, she was planning on meeting someone with information on her mother.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_painters_by_name - A wiki list of painters by their first name. Lennie's grandmother is a skilled painter. She only paitns in different shades of green.

http://www.abandonment.net/faq.html - Information on childhood abandonment. Lennie's grandmother tells her that her mother was a free spirit full of wanderlust. When Lennie gets older, she comes to realize that her mother just abandoned her.

http://teenadvice.about.com/od/loveanddating/a/winhimback.htm - A how-to page on winning your ex boyfriend back. In the book, Lennie's boyfriend, Joe, breaks up with her and she's desperate to win him back. This website tells you how to do that without making yourself look like an idiot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar - A wikipedia page on guitars. Joe is a dedicated musician, just like Lennie. This page gives information on how they differ in structure and sound.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_France - A wikipedia page on Paris. Joe was born in the United States, but spent most of his childhood in Paris. He tells Lennie about his life there and occasionally speaks French around her.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasagna - A wikipedia page on lasagna. Lennie spends a lot of time at a bakery where she works. Her specialty is lasagna.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juilliard_School - A wikipedia page on Juilliard, the preforming arts conversatory. It was Bailey's dream to go there, though she wasn't accepted. Lennie discovers it was her dream, too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuthering_Heights - A wikipedia page of the novel Wuthering Heights. It gives a plot summary of the book and expands upon the characters. It's Lennie's favorite book.

Commentary on other blogs!

Hi Sloan! In the first paragraph, you mention that sometimes you have difficulty with spelling and grammar, which is understandable. In the second sentence of your second parapgrah, you typed 'to' instead of 'too.' I love that this quarter you decided to go for a book that has more depth than your previous book. From Baghdad, With Love manages to be inspiring and heartbreaking at the same time, so I think you'll love it. It's also got a happy ending, which everybody loves. Did you know there's actually a sequel to it? It's a follow-up book on Lava's life after the war. I really want to read it. I also love that you mentioned me in the last paragraph! Are you going to try to keep up to date on your blog posts this quarter or do you prefer waiting until later? I tried to keep up to date last quarter; I hate getting behind on things. I always end up feeling overwhelmed. I hope you like the book!

Hi Kristy! If you want to improve your spelling and grammar, you could try typing up your blog posts in a word document so that you can spell check it. What are some of things you did well? Your book looks really interesting. Is it set in an alternate universe or post apocalyptic? It almost sounds like it is. Earlier you told me it was a bit like The Hunger Games, which is a book series I really loved. Maybe I'll try reading Ship Breaker. Do you like it so far? Do you think you would recommend it to anyone?

Hi Courtney! My website link post was one of my strongest entries too. For the pictures post, did you include pictures that expressed the theme of your book? That was one of the recommendations on my post. I'm going to try to focus more on the theme of my book this quarter; maybe you can too. I'm so glad you're reading From Baghdad, With Love! It's really an amazing book. It has a great message and there's never a dull moment. Did you know there's a sequel? It's about Lava's life in America. I really want to read it.

Reflecting on last quarter and moving onto second!

I'm not happy with my first quarter blog grade. It wasn't bad, but it could've been better. There were a number of things I did right and several things I didn't. For starters, my blog wasn't showing up. That's really strange because I can view it perfectly fine from my computer. A lot of people had problems with their vlogs, so I'm not the only one. If there's going to be another vlogging assignment, I have no idea how I'll be able to tell if you can see it. Another thing I can improve on is the length of my responses to these prompts. I'll have to be sure to count that they're 10-12 sentences, so that's a goal for next quarter. Another goal is to focus more on the theme of the book and take it into consideration in my posts. As for things I did right, my animoto got a perfect score and my post with links relating to the book were mixed in variety and creative.

Blogging is definitely a better alternative to writing a research essay. I prefer blogging hands down. I guess I still think of the assignment positively.

My new book is The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. The book focuses on a girl named Lennie, whose older sister, Bailey, passed away. She died suddenly, leaving Lennie and her family shocked and mourning. Lennie feels hopeless, until she meets a new boy at school, Joe. He's musically gifted like she is, and they're naturally drawn to each other. But she starts to have feelings for Bailey's now ex-boyfriend, Toby, because he's one of the few people that seems to understand what she's going through. The book centers around Lennine's very different relationships with the boys and with the way she copes with the loss of her sister. This quarter, you're probably going to see a lot of posts that revolve around the theme of loss and grieving.